The graphics are, of course, improved and I quite likeCiv4 engine (I have al the Civ4 and add-ons and all and love it), but this doesn't work!
There are parts to the original game which are missing here, like - Independence declaration upgrading the rebel troops when they fight in the woods and wilds. Troops lose their horses when first defeated, then their rifles and then their lives when attacked, and can repair/heal by using stockpiled horses and weapons. There's a chance that the Royal powers of another European nation sending troops to assist.

In this newest version there are some mad things and maddening too - The training regimes take FAR too long and the pricing of recruiting and training is weird. My English privateer failed repeatedly and every time to beat a Dutch Merhantman, despite that the 'ratio' is 5:4 to my privateer, and even the mouse pop-up says it's a 75% chance for me to win!! What's the point?

I like it, for many reasons, and it's very playable, but it's not very cleverly created and leaves too much to be desired (what's that ferkin music too? AAarrrgghhhhhh...) I turned off the annoying music and half the sounds also vanished!